Dockboard



G. P. KELLEY 2,751,615

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nocKBoARD Filed Feb. 8, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. @ARBEIT P. KELLt-:Y

A-r-roRNaY June 26, 1956 G. P. KELLEY 2,751,615

DOCKBOARD Filed Feb. 8, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 38 TRUCK ze 28 l5.2 .GT-f* 'i ze.

INVENTOR.

. q GARRETT P. KELLEY nited States Patent 2,751,615 Genom Garrett P; lVlilwaukee, Wis. Application 'February No. 498,6@

'Y 11 `(icl. 14-i'1) This invention relates to a dockboard or ramp `for luse in shipping and receiving platforms and which adjusts "to the height of the truck bed.' The present rampis operated by the truck backing toward the dock for loading or unloading and is entirely automatic in operation. lf the truck bed is not parallel to the loading platform, the dockboard automatically adjusts ush'withth'e'surface over which the load is moving.A vr. Y

The principal object .of this invention is to provide a simple, rugged dockboard which automatically adjusts to the height of a truck bed.withoutrequirlngf-anyoperative force other than the truck backing into position.V

Another. object of this invention is to provide a dockboard ofthe type described which automatically -adjusts tothe slope of thebed-of `the truckawith-respect to l-the loading dock. -v .-1 v l Other objects and advantages will be pointed out in, or be apparentfrom, the specification andclaims, as Twill obvious modications of the single embodiment shown in the drawings,inwhich: Y-f vv/ 1-- i Fig. l is a plan View of the dockboard or ramp set into a shipping andreceiving platform or=dock;f 'f

vFig. 2 is a front elevation ofthe rampstructure;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on =line-33fof Fig. 12;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a'view similar to Fig. 4 but shows the ramp resting on the bed of the truck; 1 'f Fig. 6'is similar to Figs. 4Hai1d 5 but shows the manner in which the 'secondary "weightfallows overtravel ofthe operating arm after theramp contacts the truck bed;A

Fig. 7 isa detail of the hinge structure whichf-allows the ramp to adjust-to a slanting-truck bed; f. t L

Fig. 9 is a bottom Vview Yof'ahinge'as indicate'dby line 9-9 On Fig. 8x* f '1 f. i: l3'.

- Referring tothe drawings now in detail, the dockboard or ramp 10 comprisesfafrectangular plate-preferablyprovidedwith a suitable non-sldd1surface'; not`shown.VV Six parallel, longitudinal channels 12 serve as V-rei'n'forci'ng' ribs on the underside of the'd'ockboard't). "Ihe--ribs'mayl be further reinforced byv lateralv spannes; not sh'owmi The ribs l2 terminate short ofthe lip portio'n`14` of thefbord which is reinforced on the underside with'an additional plate' 16. The'outer ends of the ribs' 12` arecove'redY by a lateral plate 18.1"As will be explained more fully hereinafter, the ylip'. sectionv 14 is. automatically/adjustedin heightto accommodate various heights'fof -truck beds and isI adapted to rest on 'the upper surfa of'tleIiI'Ck bed when the do'ckboardisin4 usex'- The reinforcing 'ribs 12 doV not extend to the rear edge of the dockboard', thus lproviding spacefor lateralj angle iron 120 Y welded to "the underside :of the docrkboard 510 rearwardly Vof the ribs as, nfost` clearly'shown Fig. 7] A suitable angleiron-ZII provided with fanclior 'lugs 24 is set into-the concrete loadingdock-'at the rear edge ofV the dockboard and is provided -Withtwo pairs ofA spaced,-

upwardly projecting earsf26fadjacent the rear co 'ersof F ice the dockboard. These ears normally project up into the Cornervof angle 20Yat'thebottom rear edge ofthe dockba'r'd as s liown'in Fig. -7l and support the rear edge of the dockboard'in normal operation. vEach of a pair of Usha'ped's't'raps 2S welded to angle iron `Ztl depends betweena pair of fixed -ears 26 and the Vears are provided 'with aligned apertures to receive the headed hinge Vpin 30' which passes through the ears and through the Ushaped strap 28.: The-pin is held in place by means of "itsintegi-'al head 32 and a cotter pin 34. This struc'- ture serves asa hingevfor the dockboard and'rpermits either rear corner `of the 4dockboard to be raised until the 'lowermost portion of the U-shaped strap 23 Vcontacts the hingepin. This allows the dockboardto vcant' with respect to the dock to adjust to avtruck bed which is not parallel to the surface of the dock.- 'Two additional lugs 35 are fixed on the'stationary angle 22 near` the mid`- portion o f the angle and project upwardly againstk the cornerV of angle 29 on the dockboard. These ears are not provided with hinge pins or the like, but merely give additional support to the'dockboard. Finally, it has been noted that the rear'edge ofthe dockboard is provided with a plurality ofV depending guard skirts 3g which prevntaccidents as av result ofl the shearing actionof theboard as it adjusts to diierent slopes;

@From the above,it will lbe noted that the docltboard 16 is hinged at its rearward edge to the angle 22 set in' the doclrllt.V The' dock is provided with an angle 42 at'ea'ch sideoffthe.dockboard'toreinforce-the concrete edge at this point; As Vmay beseen inthe front elevation (Figl 2.), the forward vertical edges of the dock ware provided withvertical angles 44 and additional angles 46 are providedl at the rear vertical corners of the dockto support anV angle 48 therebetween at each side' of the opening in the ydoelt. These angles 48 support an I bearnS 'which serves' as a fulcrum support for the doeltboard counter balance mechanism. Y i* The counterbalance mechanism comprises an arm 52 fulcrumed on pin 54 betweenupstanding lugs 56 mounted on'the top of l beam-50.'- vOne end ofthe arm 52'is connected to`theunderside ofy dockboard l0'by means of links 'pivoted to-the arm `52 at A60 and to the underside ofthe kdockboard by pin 62'supported by depending plates 64. The other' end of the arm 52 pivotally supports -a counterbalance weight 66 which may conveniently be a large block of concrete. ilt is to be noted that the arm S2-is of telescopic nature' to permit adjustment of the leverage arm tooverconie the weight of the board and to slightly bias the dockboard to its fully raised'position (shown in Pigs. 2 through v4). `The upward biasing force is small and little eilort zis required, therefore, to lower the'dockboard. f W

Operating arm 68 is reciprocally mounted between two plates fixed on right hand sidel (Fig. 2) Vof the stationary framework. The outer end of the operating: armv is adaptedto be actuated by a truck backing towards the loading dock, while the inner end of the operating arm is provided with a depending arm 7@ which'supports a pulley '72. A 'cable 74 is fixed tov a stationary portion of the dockboard framework as -at 76 and is reeved vover pulley 72 and over pulleys 78, Si) on the underside'of'the dockboard and is attached'to secondary weight 82. Much morevforce is required to lift the Weight S2 than isl required to lower the counterbalanced dockboard. Ao# cordingly, when the bed ofa'tr'uck backing into'the dock moves the end of operating arm o'inwardltthe relative movement between movable pulley 72and the iixed cable anchor point-76 will pull on the cable system to lower the dockboard until the lip 14 rests' on the truck SUPQ' bastel-cen place and that vthe eounterbalan'ce' 3 weight 66 has been raised from its initial position (Fig. 3). If the trucker continues to back the truck toward the dock, the dockboard obviously cannot be lowered further and the tension in the cable increases and finally raises secondary weight 82 as shown in Fig. 6. Thus, the weight SZ serves as an anchor for the cable system until the downward motion of the dockboard has been arrested.

At this time, continued pressure of the truck against the Y arm increases the force transmitted through the cable until the weight 82 is raised to permit continued rear-- ward movement of the arm independently of the dockboard. in this respect, the weight 82 and the manner in which it is connected into the cable system, functions as a force-responsive lost motion means.

i From the above, it will be obvious that a truck backing into the loading dock can back in until the truck bed strikes the bumpers 34 on each side of the dockboard. The operating arm cannot be damaged by the truck since any overtravel of the arm occasioned by the lip of the dockboard resting on the truck prior to full movement of the operating arm raises the secondary weight 82. it is to be noted that the operating arm is provided with a depending tinger 86 which presents added vertical height to accommodate truck beds of various heights.

When the truck backs into the dock, if the bed of the truck is not parallel to the surface of the dock, the hinge structure described above permits the board to adjust about the two hinges. When the load, in the form of a lift truck, hand truck or other material handling equipment, is moved from the dock to the dockboard, the dockboard wili adjust to make the two adjacent surfaces parallel. As the load moves over the dockboard to the truck, the shift in the weight will cause the lip of the f dockboard to rest squarely on the bed of the truck. At this time, one of the rear corners of the dockboard would be raised but damage to persons on the dock is prevented by the depending toe guards 38. In this connection, it is to be noted that the sides of the dockboard are provided with depending toe guards 88 which prevent injuries as the board is lowered.

- As the truck pulls away from the dock, the secondary counterweight 82 lowers from the position in Fig. 6 to the position in Fig. 5. Further movement of the truck away from the dock allows the counterbalance 66 to raise the dockboard to its highest position as shown in Figs. 1 through 4. The highest position of the board can be determined in several ways. ln the drawings, contact of the weight 66 with the ground or blocks is employed to limit the upward movement of the board. If desired, contact of arm 7i? with the frame can act as the limit stop or the hinge can be made'of a limiting nature. Similarly, cables or the like could be fixed to the frame and the underside of the board to limit the action.

The secondary counterweight 82 could be replaced by other biasing mechanism which would more than offset the force necessary to move the counterbalanced dockboard downwardly as the truck backs in against the operating arm 68. Such a spring would, of course, be connected between the operating arm and to the dockboard. Another form the present device could take would be the provision of a sliding counterweight which would Y move toward the pivot point as the operating arm moved inwardly, thus allowing the dockboard tov fall to the truck bed. When a truck pulled away, a spring would then return the counterweight to its original position. ln

,either of these forms, the cost of the springs dictates against the modiiications. Y

A cross-traicrlock can be provided to hold thedockboard in a positonlevel with the dock when the dockboard is not being used to unload a truck. Such a crosstraiic lock has not been shown since it may be any of a number of different Aconventional constructions.

AsV shown in the drawings, the dockboard is provided with a frame comprised of various angles, channels, etc.

which readily permit use of the present structure withoutV the dockboard has been arrested.

' when a force of said predetermined magnitude is de-l requiring the use of a concrete dock on the sides of the dockboard. In other words, the illustrated structure would serve equally as well where the dockboard is not to be built into the dock. When the dockboard is built into a dock, much of the structural framework elements shown in the drawings can be eliminated without any adverse effects on the function and operation of the unit. With this in mind, reference to avframe or framework in the claims is not to be considered restricted to structural frames such as illustrated.

Variations in the structure will occur to those skilled in the art and/equivalent apparatus may be substituted for various components without departing from the spirit of this invention. Accordingly, this invention is to be limited only by the scope of the claims.

I claim:

l, An adjustable dockboard comprising a frame, a dockboard pivotally' mounted at Vits rear edge on said frame, means approximately counterbalancing the weight of the dockboard and exerting a force on the dockboard in an amount and in a direction to raise the dockboard, an operating arm mounted for fore and aft reciprocation in the frame and with respect to the dockboardeand normally projecting forwardly therefrom to be moved rearwardly when contacted by a truck backing up towards the dockboard and motion transmission means interconnecting the arm and the board to exert a downward force on said board in response to rearward movement of the arm to overcome the raising'force exerted on the board by said counterbalancing means so that the rearward movement of the armY lowers the board onto the bed of saidl truck, said motion transmission means including force-responsive lost motion means operative when a force of predetermined magnitude is developed in said motion transmission means to permit continued rearward movement of the arm after the downward movement of 2. A dockboard` according yto claim 1 in which motion transmission means comprises a cable having one end fixed to the frame and reeved over said arm and said board and having its other end secured to a movably supported weight, said weight being moved by said cable veloped therein. p

1 3. A dockboard according to claim 1 in which the counterbalance means comprises a lever fulcrumed on said frame andhaving one end connected to said board and the other end connected to a counterweight.

4. An adjustable dockboard comprising a frame, a dockboard, means movably mounting the dockboard on said frame for pivotal VVmovement about a substantially horizontal axis, counterbalancing means operatively connected to the dockboardfor overcoming the weight of the board and for exerting a net force on the board in an amount and in a direction to raise the board about said horizontal axis, an operating arm movably mounted in the frame for movement with respect to the dockboard between a projected position and a retracted position, and motion transmission means` interconnecting said arm and said board whereby the arm is normally maintained in projected positionV when the board is raised under the v influence ofrsaid counterbalancing means, for contact by arm towards retracted position after the force developedY in the motion transmission meansV exceeds a predeter- 3 mined magnitude due to the downward movement of the dockboard being arrested. Y Y a .5. V'Apparatus according to claim 4 in which'sald motion transmission means comprises a cable iixed at one end to the said frame and reeved over said arm and said board and secured at its opposite end to a movable weight which requires a greater force to move than the force tending to move the board to its raised position, said weight being adapted to rest on a fixed support when the board is in its raised position.

6. A dockboard according to claim 4 in which the hinge connection between the rear edge of the dockboard and the frame comprises two spaced hinges each including means permitting limited vertical movement of the dockboard with respect to the frame adjacent either of said hinges to allow the surface of the dockboard to adjust angularly with respect to the surface of the dock served by the dockboard.

7. A dockboard according to claim 6 including depending skirts around the rear and sides of the dockboard to prevent entrance of objects between the dockboard and the frame when the board is raised or is angularly adjusted with respect to the frame.

8. Apparatus according to claim 4 including a pulley mounted on said arm and a pulley on said board, said motion transmission means comprising, a cable fixed at one end to said frame and at its other end to a weight and reeved over said pulleys, said weight resting on a Xed support when said arm is fully projected, said pulleys being so located that actuation of said arm increases the distance between the pulleys and causes the board to be drawn downwardly into contact with the bed of the truck actuating the arm whereupon further movement of the arm causes said weight to be lifted from said support.

9. An adjustable dockboard comprising a frame, a dockboard having its rear edge pivotally connected to said frame for movement between raised and lowered positions, an arm mounted on the frame for movement between projected and retracted positions relative to said board, motion transmission means interconnecting the board and the arm, means to bias the board to said raised position and to urge the arm to said projected position for actuation to retracted position by a truck backing towards the dockboard, said motion transmission means interconnecting the board and arm including means responsive to movement of the arm toward said retracted position to exert a force in a downward fdirection 0n said board to draw the board downwardly until the board contacts the bed of the truck actuating the arm.

10. A dockboard according to claim 9 in which the motion transmission means includes force-responsive lost motion means operable when the force developed within said motion transmission means exceeds a predetermined amount to permit continued movement of the arm towards retracted position after downward movement of the dockboard has been arrested by contact with the bed of the truck.

l1. An adjustable dockboard assembly comprising a frame, a dockboard carried by said frame and mounted for pivotal movement about its rear edge between raised and lowered positions, an arm mounted on the frame for movement between projected and retracted positions relative to said board, motion transmission means interconnecting the board and the arm, means to bias the board to said raised position and to urge the arm to said projected position for actuation to retracted position by a truck backing towards the dockboard, said motion transmission means being responsive to movement of the arm toward retracted position to lower the dockboard onto the bed of the truck.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 937,375 Logan Oct. 19, 1909 1,112,543 Love Oct. 6, 1914 2,585,695 Snow Feb. 12, 1952 OTHER REFERENCES Dockboard Incorporated, Hi-Lo Self Adjusting Dockboard, May 22, 1953. 

